Leadership vacancies grow in Castle Hills

Published 11:37 am, Tuesday, July 8, 2014

The summer of upheaval continued at Castle Hills last week when the city manager resigned her post, less than a month after the mayor resigned.

City Manager Rita Hoyl gave no reason for resigning in a letter the city received last week, Mayor Pro Tem Tim Howell said. Earlier, she had indicated a desire to keep going despite pointed criticism at a June 10 meeting that almost cost her the job.

While she was unavailable for comment at press time, she was expected to be back Tuesday when the council was scheduled to meet to discuss her resignation and decide how to replace her.

Also at Tuesday's meeting, the council was scheduled to appoint a mayor to serve through May 2015 when the mayor who resigned, Bruce Smiley-Kaliff, would have ended his term. The council would have to name another member to the council if it chose a new mayor from among its own.

“I don't know what will happen,” said Howell, a lifelong Castle Hills resident who became mayor pro tempore at the same June 10 meeting where Smiley-Kaliff resigned.

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While there was no public announcement, it was likely that Howell would be appointed the new mayor. He and Councilmembers Lesley Wenger and John Squire said they didn't know of any other candidates who were willing to take the job.

“Tim's done a very good job so far,” Wenger said.

Howell supported the city manager and said he expects disappointment and even disruption as a result of the resignation. Hoyl worked with six other Castle Hills city managers and was city manager for two years.

If he wins the mayor's appointment, Howell said, he would move quickly on naming an interim city manager before pursuing a full-scale search for a permanent replacement.

“I don't like to see that desk empty,” said Howell.
wpack@express-news.net